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Justice News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of Missouri

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

KC Postal Carrier Indicted for Stealing Mail

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., postal carrier was indicted by a federal grand jury today for stealing from the mail.

Shawn C. Henderson, 45, of Kansas City, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

Henderson was employed as a city carrier associate for the U.S. Postal Service since April 2013. Today’s indictment alleges that she stole $1,646 worth of EBT cards from customers on her mail route from April 20 to Aug. 7, 2013. EBT cards are like debit cards and are used to provide benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as “food stamps,” which helps lower-income individuals and families buy food. Henderson allegedly used the EBT cards herself and gave some of the cards to a person identified in the indictment as “E.M.”

During that time, Henderson allegedly removed greeting cards, gift cards and EBT cards from the mail she was responsible to deliver. Henderson allegedly opened mail that wasn’t addressed to her with the intent to steal those items for her own use.

The indictment also alleges that Henderson stole and used an EBT card by resetting the PIN and assuming the rightful owner’s identity at various food outlets.

Today’s indictment charges Henderson with one count of stealing government property, one count of stealing mail and one count of aggravated identity theft. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Henderson to forfeit to the government any proceeds obtained from the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $1,656.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.